Umphrey's McGee: "The Floor"

Peeling Back A Layer

Improvisation is obviously a paramount component to our music.  As many of you frequent show goers know, we have developed an elaborate set of hand signals and body language cues to ensure that the improvised sections maintain a sense of direction and purpose.  (naturally, it doesn't always work but such is life). These cues allow us great flexibility in changing keys, tempos, and arrangements but sometimes there is just no substitution for using actual words.  This is one of the reasons that we have a handful of microphones sprinkled around the stage for direct band to band and band to crew communication.  We imagine there is a certain amount of curiosity about just what goes on through those microphones as there is a mysterious element to them. The banter runs the gamut from the mundane ("more kick drum") to the comical ("did someone just drop ass?") to the practical ("time's up, let's cut "Ninja", again").  But much of the conversation revolves around the myriad of musical ideas that spring to mind in the moment.  ("Let's try a surf-esque feel here based on Ryan's bass line...1,2,3,4") And such is how we arrive at the following few audio clips.

I have one CD burner in my rack that I can route any specific microphones to which I use for gathering various audio tidbits through out the night... check on a new tone, monitor a mic placement, test an EQ or reference after the fact for study.  And occasionally I'll record those talk back microphones to gather & archive more pieces of the puzzle.  Last night in Charlotte I took that opportunity and ended up with a gem.  Despite Kris trying to knock over every cymbal on his riser, things were firing on all cylinders from the opening notes.  Deep into set two as the improv in "Hurt Bird Bath" began to take form Jake stepped to the mic and threw out a great idea to sing the Wings classic "Let 'Em In" over the groove.  

So I bring you the audio in 2 parts.  The first clip is a peak into the shrouded world of our talk back mics while the 2nd is the actual unveiling of that idea as the audience heard it.  

If you are looking to pick up a recent UM show for your listening pleasure we would highly suggest this one.  We unanimously agreed that this one was a winner as we reflected on our bus ride back to Chicago.  In addition to 4 tunes off the new record, this show also featured the first cover of Floyd's "Comfortably Numb".   Shameless Plug 

And finally a few pictures of the evening for some visual accompaniment...